Gate



L. H. PEEPLES `Ian. 16, 1951 GATE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 9, 1946Iazli? Eke/vhs By M14/] Man@ L. H. PEEPLES Jan. 16,

GATE

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 9, 1946 .E l1 l i .m., 1

|||| MFI Patented Jan.- 16, 1,951

NT FFICE 2,538,470 GATE Louis ILfPeeples, Tulsa, Okla. Applicationiv'eiwuaryv 9, 1946,-seriai No 646,655

(oreal-22) SCla'inis; Y 1

This'inventionv relates to' gates, and nior'el particularly to anentrance gate for vehicles, inter'- posed yin the length of va fence',and a'dap'td'wtd be opened by contact with the bumper ofzan automobile-or other vehicles to open the saine when approaching ineither'direotion, and to'delay-the closing thereof, so that the vehiclemay clear the gate vbefore the latter closes,

An object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting thegate and for releasing a springV catch` therefor normally engaged with akeeper when the' gate is in a closed position, and to release the catchby bumping engagement of an'Y autonobile or other vehicle withmechanis-rn on the" gate, and to further provide means for engagementwith the gate and on said gate and a post disposed near the free endthereof when open, t delaythe closing of the gate.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a simple and novel meansand construction for the above purpose, which is relatively simple, canbe readily applied to a gate and which is not likely to get out ofworking order.

Other objects and advantagesreside in the details'of-'construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,-reierencebeinghad to the accompanyingdrawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and inA which: Y

Figui-e l is a front elevation of a gate in closed position and showingthe-impact opening.- means and the ni'eahsto delay the closing thereof.-

' Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe structure shown in Figure 1 andindicating the gate open in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is anl enlarged fragmentary vertical elevation partly insection showing the gate latch and means for delaying. the closing ofthe gate.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation partly in section showing the mannerof sup-porting the upper end of the gate.'

`Figure 5 is a View similar to Yliigure 4 but showing the manner ofsupporting.V the lower end of the gate.

Figure 6 isl a sectional elevation taken in the plane of the line 6 6 ofFigure 2 with the gate in an open position and showing some of thedetail with parts brokenaway of the meansmfor delaying the closing ofthe gate.

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on the line'l-'l of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 8 8' of'Figure 3.'

Figure 9 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on theline 9--9of Figure'.

Figure 10 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the'lineIU-iof Figure 4.

Figure 11 is an enlarged horizontal sectional elevation taken on theline II-Ii ofFigure 1.

Figlrfm an Vend'elevation partly in seotio Aof: 4 thevstluoture rshOWIlin Fig 1`1 and omitted. Figure 13`isv anenlarged View of the retardingpisto'n', and Y Figure`l4 is a side vievvofthe piston sliovin4 in Figure13. n

Referring to the drawings' in dtail, the gate is`nteposed in` the linevof a fence at ailgalt opening-having a gateV supportingpost l5-` andakeeper supportingposti spaced therefrornfa suitable distanee accordingto the length ofthe gate. Both of theseposts may be reinforced by bracesil Yand i3 as shown eitendi'ngat an angle from the posts near theirupper ends ton the ground tor eie'etivel'y 'support the" posts inupright positions. The gate i9 is shown comprisin-gfa reetan'gular framehaving a vertical hinge bar ne the hinged endV and anA outer verticalbar 2ly near the tree end, as distinguished from the inner or hinged'end, connected b-y horizontal upperand lowe'`bars 2L" and 23 Anintermedia e oli-'third' horizontal bar 2li is provided bei. tiv'eeifithe vertical bars 2i! and '2l spacedabove the lowferfb'ar '2S-'andspaced a greater distance froni theotop'oriupper bar 22 and paralleltheretol while anadditional vertical bar' is disposed near the freeend'parallel to the bar'Zl' andloetiee'n theupper bar andthe bar 2Q,all: of saidbars'be'in'g"rigidly connected'or welded togethet as desiredandv comprising tubular-Y* or other suitable4 itie'talrneinbersl Inaddition, wires or'cable'sfi" are esten-ded betweenthe bars filandhorizontallyin parallel Yrelationand connected theretoVV through theymedium of loops, u-bitsfor the like 2i, wane a brace 2s extends beneathVa web-or gusset plate 279 at the corner between the bars 2Q and 22,'anda similar gusset orwwehpiate atthe corner where the bars 24 andY 25join'to prevent sagging of the gate. The bar Zliis' joined tothe innervertical barv Zilwby a fiatfp'o'rtio'or plate Si secured to thebar-Zjand tothe'innei" end ofthe bar Y2li as by welding or the like, andis apertured toreceive aA vertical pivot'o'r trfnnion 32A which hasitslower end providedwith a reduced''piv'ot portion 33* engaging anaperture" of'a similar plate 3ft also weldedor otherwise se'c'ured'ftothe'bar 2'@ below the plate Si'f'an retained bf'a Cotter pinA di" t like3 5. An' aiinorfba'mis rigid'with the vertical pivot member 132 'and'extends inwardlythere'frr'nf to la point'substan'tially rriiil'way'v ofthelerigtho the gate where it is pivotally connected and supportsahorizntal cross-bart? throughthe rnediuinfof spaoedfhorizontal ori'aclevis 38 -blted through apertures vertically in'saidpaits'asfindieatedat 33 te allow` pivotalmovernent of the cross-begr ai' projecting A`naarcan/eneide of theV uy on opposite' ends of" the cross;

bar"J 3T are 3 with the ends of the bar 31 and form receiving andretaining means for rubber or like cushions 4I which are retained inposition at the ends 42 of the channels 4Q by means of bolts 43 imbeddedin the rubber of the cushions or bars formed thereby and extendingthrough apertures in the upper and lower ends of the channels. Thechannels may be of right angular or other shape,l as depicted in theFigures 1l and l2 of the drawings. the channels are rigidly. secured tothe ends of the bar 31 extending cross-wise and :upon opposite sides ofthe connection of the arm 36 with the cross-bar 31, the latter isprovided with flexible connections or chains 44 converging outwardly andconnected to a similar exible member or chain 45 having its free endadjustably connected to a rod 46 as by means of a turnbuckle 41, one endof which is provided with a hook 48 connected to the chains 45 and theopp-osite end of which is provided with an eye connected to ,a loop 49formed at the inner end of the rod 46 which isin turn connected at itsouter end to a normally contracted coil spring 56 having its opposite or-outer end connected to the vertical post 2i as at 5I by means of loops,U-bolt and eye or otherwise in connection with a plug 52 on one of thelinks or loops 5l extending into the adjacent end of the coil spring Gand locked thereto by a lug 53. A similar plug and lug 52 and 53respectively are provided between the rod 46-and the inner end of thespring 50 and an adjustable latch release bar 54 is secured to a U-bolt55 and to the bar 46 and offset upwardly therefrom with means 5t forcoupling the sections'thereof to render the same adjustable in lengthand the forwardly extending free end of the loop 55 in its projection infront of the bar 2| vertically at the free end of the gate.

`Inrorder to hingedly mount the gate, the inner end of the upperhorizontal bar 22 of the frame I9 Aof the gate is internally threaded t0receive a threaded shank 51 having a vertical openended sleeve 53 at itsinner end receiving a pivot pin 59 therethrough. A collar 60 is clampedaround the post I5 near its upper end and is split to provide a clamphaving coacting apertured jaws V6I bolted to the post i5 as indicated at62 as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 10 of the drawings. A horizontal plate63 is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the collar 60 and extendsoutwardly therefrom to a point adjacent the vertical bar 26 at thepivoted end of the gate. The plate 63 is provided with an elongated slot64 near its inner end, in which the-pivot pin 59 is adjustably held oneither side, by means of nuts 65 threaded on the pin 59 t0 clampopposite sides 'of the plate 63, while adjustment is effected throughthe medium of a threaded stem 66 threaded through a threaded bore in theend of the plate 63 at its bight portion formed with the slot 54, saidstem being in the form of a screw and held in adj-usted position by anut 61 threaded thereon against the end of the plate 63 adjacent thethreaded bore. In this way, the upper pivoted end of the gate may beheld in adjusted position.

At its lower end, the post i 5 is provided with a similar collar 6osplit and correspondingly held in Vposition on the post, the ypartsthereof being correspondingly constructed and indicated by referencecharacters. A shorter fiat plate or arm 68, with respect to the plate63, is provided upon the lower collar El) and carries a rigid verticalpivot pin 69 offset inwardly with respect to the At intermediate pointsof their length,

4 pivot pin 59. The pin 59 is engaged by a sleeve 16 forrnedv at theouter end of a threaded stem 1l loose in the inner end of the lowerframe member or bar 23 and adapted to be clamped in adjusted position bya nut 12 engaged on the threaded shank or stern 1i against the inner endci the smooth bored lower bar 23 projecting from the vertical bar 2Q andalso adapted to be held by a set screw 13 threaded through the bar 23in'engagement with the shank 1| as indicated in Figure 5 of thedrawings. In this way, adjustment can be made without removing the pivotpin 69 as is the case with stem 51 which is of necessity threaded in bar22 because the thrust is outward on account or theweight of the gate.The gate is adapted to swing on two pivots spaced horizontally from eachother or off center, so as to tend to swing upwardly to an inclinedposition whereby it will return to a closed position by gravity underthe weight thereof from an open position.

The lower pivot plate 34 may be connected at a point Yintermediate thetwo lower horizontal bars 23 and 25:1 by a wire rod or cable 14 to thevertical end bar 2l of the gate frame as indicated at 15 in such amanner as tc intersect the vertical bumper or cushion bars 4.-@ and 4lbelow the arm 36 and chains 45 and 45. `'lhe length of the lattervertical bumper bars, provide means for engagement by the bumpersofautomobiles or other vehicles at different heights, thereby insuring theactuation of the catch releasing mechanisrn. The latch bar 16 has across-bar 16 and is pivoted at 11 t0 a bracket 18 co-mprising spacedears of U-shaped formation rigidly welded or secured to the vertical bar2 l, with its long arm extending downwardly and a short arm extendingupwardly. The lower end of the latch bar 16 is engaged by the releaseloop 55 of release bar or arm 54 and is normally held outwardly by laspring or other resilient means 19 inter- Y posed between the latch bar16 and the vertical bar 2l. The pivotal movement of the bar 16 islimited by an adjustable stop member shown in the form of a threadedscrew 86 adjustable through the upper end of the latch bar 1S andadapted to be held by a nut 8! threaded thereon,

in engagement with the front of the bar 2|.

The latch bar 16 is adapted tc engage a keeper consisting of a collar B2of the same construction asthe collars Sii and similarly clamped'thereonat the post i t with which the free end of the gate cooperates. Aninwardly extending plate 63 is rigidly secured 'to the collar. 82 bywelding or otherwise and has pivoted thereon keepers Bt as indicated aton opposite sides and having eX- tensions et forming handles by whichthey may be hand operated. The spaced heads of the latchesV Se cooperateto receive the latch bar 16 therebetween and have bevelled outer edges81, to permit autcmatic engagement of the latch bar 16 therewith ineither direction when closing from an open position at either side ofthepost l5. The latches 35i are provided with apertured lugs 88 connectedby a spring 89 so as to permit movement of the latches ineither'direction in permitting engagement and Vdisengagement of thelatch bar therewith. This is facilitated by spacing the inner sides oredges of the latches 84 as indicated at Se, it being understood that thelower endof the latch bar-1S at its point of engagement by the arm 5ftis received within the loop 55 formed at the free-end of the arm 54 asshown in Figure 7 of the drawings, so that when the bumper of a carstrikes the vertical bumpi assegno? Ti to disengage the latch barfrornfthe'keepers- 8s* 4while exp anding' the `vspring 501- and compressspring le, andi-upon'y release thereof, permitting the springiitocontractand provide aforce to swing'the gate open'when" the latch isdisengagedbyv a push by an automobile;*which` should bein low gear.

85 underY the action ofspringt' byinwarol pro= jectionsti*Aengaging'bevel'ed' ends `of ai vertical projection e1"- on. plate 33,but are freatoinove inwardlywhen engagedby' latch" bar '16 on the' gateagainst beveled'edges S'Tfroni either side.' More push or thrust' isnotY necessary after vthe latch` releases. When the gate closes, thelatch bar 'i5 under the action of its spring |0`will` again engage thekeepers. This action is automatic upon the closing of vthe gate fromeither side, upon being swung to an open position at either side byreason of the opposite projection of the bumper bars from the oppositesides of the gates. Thisv action. isA also, facilitated by reason of thepivotal" mounting of the horizontal arm or bar St. on which the bumperbars are provided.

In order to momentarily hold. the gate in an open position at eitherside and delay the closing thereof, to` permit the clearance of theautomobile or other vehicle after having passed through the gate openingand opening the gate as. described, Va third post 9| is disposed uponopposite sides of the gate post l5 and offset outwardly therefrom ateither side, one of said posts being shown in Figure'Zv of' theVdrawings at a proper distance from the gatev post l5 and related' and.pivoted. tothe adjacent portion of thehorir zontal bar Y2d as indicatedat 91 toswing laterally on said pivot or rigid therewith if desired, asVThe cylinder' shown' in Figure 6 of the drawings. EltisV provided' withYa bypass'Y 03" connected to opposite' ends 'ofthe' 'cylinder internallyandv havingfa Vcontrolled'needle 'valve'gil' at one end vto regulate thefl'ow of' the oil or other fluid contained within the cylinder, from oneend of the cylinder to the other. A piston operates in the cylinder 96and its rod |0| passes through a packing gland |02 and nut |03 on thepiston rod at the head or top end of the cylinder and carries a U-shapedyoke or fork |04 adjustably on its upper end in which a pair of upperand lower spaced' rollers |05 are journaled on horizontal shafts havingbearings in the tines or vertical legs of the yoke or fork |04.

Also piston |00 is provided with holes |00' which are drilled through itbetween the center and outside circumference and which are covered atthe lower end of the piston by a disc or valve |0I which unseatsdownwardly and lets the uid pass through holes |00 allowing the pistonto move upward quickly when upper roller |05 Latc'hes 8'@ are limitedkintheir move4 mentsoutwardlyl away'irornl veach other'on pivots' 6,strikes arm 55. andy leaves only the bypass @d for the duid to-passthrough as the piston comes down thus allowing the piston` to movedownward very slowly. The vpiston rod it! does not pass through thelpiston but is screwed into it only a short way and is secured bya lockor jam nut |02.

rEhe disc or valve is heldin place by a small screw Iii through themiddle but which is of just Ythe right longth'to all-ow the disc to dropaway from the piston slightly as the piston rnoves upward thus allowingthe fluid to through the piston instead of or in addition to the bypass00. Thus, no rings or packingare needed on the piston because the iluidfurnishes all the seal that is necessary between the piston and thecyl-- cushioning means determinedlby theJ/o'luineffof# fluid passingthroughl the holes orpassagesliii'f as disc or valve 10i uncovers holeslet' ward movements or reciproca-tion of the piston iilii within thecylinder ed whenthe holes- Veld TheY inclinedL track or are closedv bydisc mi.

arm 93 is adapted to singularly eetweenf rollers lde'when the gato isswung to an open position toward the post Eiifat eithersideof the gateopeningk and raiser they piston |05 within the cylinder 0e, so that itsdownwardmovement along the inclined trackl as the rollers |05 movethereon, will be retarded by the-fluidL within the cylinder tomomentarily'd'elay'and ree'- tard the closing of the'gate when inanopenYV position, so that the vehicle may pass therethrough withoutobstruction and clear the gate before the latter olfses. This actionisautomatic, since the rollers |635 are so positioned as to' be engagedby the inclined'track or rod assistedV by the horizontal or upturnedportion 95 andthe spacing of the rollers |95 a greater distance than thethickness of the track 93 as particularly shown inY Figures 3 and' 6 ofthe'drawings, while the rollers are guided by llhe trackways'iormed' bythe vert'cal channels il?? on the pests 2| andy 25, intheirreciprocating or up and down movements when actuated in the manner justAden scribed..

Thus, with the gate closed and the latch 'bar' i6 engaged with keepersS6, between the spaced inner edges thereof, when bumper of theautomobile strikes the cushion bars ffii, the latter' willbe swung toone .side or the other and swing-the cross-bar Sil' on its pivot. Byreason of the connection of the cross-arm or lever formed' by the bar3'? through the chains id and d5, providing a flexible connection withthe latch rclease arm 513 and loop or Ubolt 55 which engages the lowerend of the latch bar le, the latter is moved inwardly on its pivot 'ilto disengage the latch bar le from the keepers 8K1 and permit the gateto open under further impact. Inasmuch as the hinge pins or pivots ofthe gate are spaced horizontally or ofi center and the lower pivot isxed while the upper pin is adjustable, the gate will tend to swing to aninclined position so that it will automatically return to a closedposition by gravity. As the gate swings to an open position toward oneof the posts 0 i, the inclined track 03 will engage between the rollers|05 and elevate the piston. In the closing of the gate, the

The disc`v |01" seats upwardly and" through the ductv or bypass 9S;during' the dow-ner movement of the gate to a closed position willl bemomentarily restrained or retarded by the piston o-r hydraulic retardingmeans, so that the vehicles can clear the gate opening and the gatebefore the latter closes. Upon the gate swinging to a closed position,the latch bar 'i6 will automatically move between the keepers 84 and beheld in a closed position.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand d scribed a preferred embdiment oi invention the same is susceptibleto certain changes iully comprehended by the spirit of the invention asherein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a gate, a gate post, a gate hinged to said post, a keeper membersuitably supported adja cent the free Vend of the gate and comprising acollar adapted to be clamped to a gate post and its pivot and having aresilient connection with` the free end of the gate to normally heid thecross bar at right angles to the length ci the gate, a pivoted latch barextending vertically of the free end of the gate, means t0 adjust andlimit the movement oi the latch bar, said latch t bar being engageablebetween the keepers and a loop at the free end of the release bar toengage around the lower end of the latch bar to disengage the latterfrom the keepers upon im pact with an impact member and swinging of thecross bar.

2. In a gate, a gate suitably hinged, a post supported at a distancefrom the gate equal to the length of the gate, a rigid inclined trackcarried by said post, a cylinder mounted vertically on the gate near itsfree end, a piston operating in said cylinder, a bypass connectingopposite ends of the cylinder, said piston having a rod operatingthrough the upper end of the cylinder,

spaced rollers mounted on the upper end of theV piston rod adapted to beengaged by said track to raise the piston when the gate is opened andtracks mounted on the gate guiding said rollers up and down in theopeninDV and closing movements of the gate, said therethrough to permitquick opening of the gate and to retard the closing of the gate to causeslow closing thereof.

3. In a gate, a post, a gate comprising a frame hinged to the post, asecond post, keepers carried by the second post, a latch bar pivoted onthe free end of the gate to engage said keepers, said gate havinghorizontal members between the hinged and free ends thereof forming partof the gate frame, a horizontal bar pivoted to the hinged end of thegate, a cross bar pivoted intermediately to said horizontal bar at itsinner end intermediate the length of the gate, vertical cushion membersmounted on the ends of said cross bar and projecting from either side ofthe gate, adapted to cause swinging of the cross bar upon impact of anautomobile bumper or vehicle therewith, a release arm projecting fromthe free end of a gate and looped around the lower end of the latch bar,means normally projecting the free end of the release arm from the freeend of the gate, and adjustable exible connections between said releasearm and the cross bar upon opposite sides of the pivot thereof to causeretraction of the release arm upon pivotal movement of the cross arm todisengage the latch bar from the keepers, whereby further impact withthe cushion members will cause opening of the gate.

LOUIS H. PEEPLES.

REFERENCES CllTEB The following references are of record in the .frileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 354, 551 House et al Dec. 21,1886 357,529 Holton Feb. 8, 1887 1,192,592 Winter July 25, 19161,283,359 Thomson Oct. 29, 1918 1,330,146 Solberg Feb. 10, 19201,798,699 Ralston Mar. 31, 1931 2,010,468 Spencer Aug. 6, 1935 2,036,474Hanson Apr. 7, 1936 2,076,092 Pinard Apr. 6, 1937 2,686,061 Barr July 6,1937 2,118,722 Bock May 24, 1938 2,220,335 Hubbs Nov. 5, 1940 2,309,381Brown Jan. 26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,957 GreatBritain -1909 13,609 Australia 1928 17,532 Australia 1928 722,701 France1932 piston having valve means-

